Chapter 20: Wait, You Actually Did It?!

Chapter 20: Wait, You Actually Did It?!

“Hey, Tendou, what’s with you spacing out in the middle of lunch?”

Inside the cafeteria, Caroline looked curiously at Tendou, who was staring off into nothing while absentmindedly eating.

It wasn’t just some casual daydreaming, she could tell that much—it was like he was watching something.

But with nothing in front of him except the table and air, Caroline really couldn’t imagine what that might be. What was he looking at, the atmosphere?

Of course, Tendou wasn’t staring at thin air.

Right now, he was using the system’s virtual screen to watch episode four of Stellaris: Embers.

And this particular episode? It was the highlight of the protagonist—Chen Kong.

Even though Tendou had already experienced these events once before, seeing them again now, from a god’s-eye perspective, as part of an anime he himself had helped make…

Well, let’s just say—it was surprisingly fun.

“Nothing much, just… thinking about something,” Tendou replied vaguely, using a rather half-hearted excuse to brush Caroline off so he could keep watching.

Caroline clearly didn’t buy it, but she also couldn’t come up with a good counterargument.

So in the end, she just shrugged, deciding to let it go and went back to her meal.

Meanwhile, the episode continued—Chen Xing standing before the furious Terravaran, defying everyone’s protests. The tension rose, the music swelled, and the fourth episode reached its climax.

“Hide if you want, Kong. You can run all your life if that’s what you want.”

“Your cowardice, your timidity—one day it will make you lose everything you hold dear.”

“But while you can hide, I can’t. Because if even I back down… where else could someone as weak as you run to?”

“So even if I know the next step leads straight into the abyss—I’ll still walk forward without hesitation. After all, there’s no one left standing in front of me.”

“Now move aside, coward. Don’t get in my way.”

On-screen, Chen Xing finally spoke the words she had buried deep within her heart.

And as Tendou watched her crimson eyes—burning with the fierce resolve of a lone wolf—even though he’d seen this scene before, he couldn’t help but be moved all over again.

The disappointment toward her brother, the burden she carried on her shoulders—it was all perfectly captured in that look.

Her emotions were raw, layered, and utterly human—forming a stark contrast to her usual cold, domineering persona.

That contrast hit hard.

As Tendou expected, the audience chat exploded the moment the scene aired.

“Ugh… so she was carrying it all alone this whole time? I’m actually crying.”

“Chen Xing: Why do I talk so harshly to you? Because my love runs deep…”

“So the sharp tongue was just a mask… ouch, my heart.”

“Okay, I admit it. I used to hate her for being too bossy, but I was so wrong.”

“‘Move aside, coward!’—what a badass line!”

Tendou stared at the flood of comments. Somehow, his dinner didn’t taste so good anymore.

He’d expected this episode to boost Chen Xing’s popularity, sure—but he hadn’t quite anticipated this level of chaos.

Because really, when you mix a fiery, cool-headed beauty with lines that could set the screen on fire—that’s a lethal combo for any mortal otaku out there.

Fortunately, he hadn’t been entirely unprepared. He’d made sure to add his own countermeasure beforehand.

“Hey, Chen Xing!”

“What’s with that ‘no one stands before me’ line? You trying to pretend I don’t exist?”

“Don’t forget—you’re second. I’m the one standing at the forefront of everything.”

On screen, Chen Xing clutched the candy Tendou had tossed her, turning to face him as he declared his bold, over-the-top proclamation.

Her expression was… complicated, to say the least.

And perhaps to emphasize the weight of destiny that tied these two together—the First and the Second—the animation team blurred out everything around them. The background melted away, leaving only Tendou and Chen Xing in sharp focus.

That single moment—that fateful exchange of gazes—became nothing short of legendary.

“Aaaah! I ship it, I ship it, I SHIP IT! Lock them in, lock them in forever!”

“HOLY CRAP, DOUBLE FAVORITE COMBO UNLOCKED!!”

“This composition is genius! The blurred background makes it hit so hard!”

“Wait, why does Tendou’s line sound kinda ominous… That’s not a death flag, right? Please don’t be a flag!”

“Studio, I’m warning you! If you hurt Tendou, I’m mailing you a mountain of knives!!”

Thanks to Tendou cutting in so dramatically, what was supposed to be Chen Xing’s solo emotional scene… somehow turned into a two-person act.

And to make matters worse—or better, depending on who you asked—Tendou’s words carried a weight that even overshadowed hers.

In a sequence meant to showcase Chen Xing’s resolve, he walked away looking like the true protagonist.

After all, Chen Xing had said she would protect her brother, fulfilling her duty as a sister.

But Tendou’s declaration?

He said he’d stand before everyone—that he’d protect all of them from the dangers ahead.

One promise for a single person.

The other, a vow for the entire world.

There was no contest—the emotional impact wasn’t even close.

And just like that, through one well-timed line and an unshakable presence, Tendou had managed to hijack the entire scene.

The surge of popularity that should’ve belonged solely to Chen Xing… now skyrocketed for both of them—though Tendou’s rise was noticeably higher.

He had completely stolen her spotlight.

After that unexpected detour, the story returned to the hesitant protagonist—Chen Kong—who, despite his fear, finally stepped forward to face the raging Terravaran.

Just as everyone expected, the beast, driven into fury, unleashed an overwhelming power during the second trial.

It wasn’t even a contest—Chen Xing’s entire team was crushed from start to finish.

And Chen Kong?

He didn’t just fail to help Chen Xing or their third teammate, Yagami Rin—he stood there frozen, like a wooden puppet.

A flawless demonstration of what it meant to be a deadweight teammate.

Naturally, the viewers erupted.

“Unbelievable. How is this walking pile of uselessness the main character?!”

“Bro’s doing his best impression of a decorative background prop.”

“Everyone’s bleeding their hearts out on the frontlines and this clown’s just… standing there. Are you serious?!”

“Honestly, maybe they should just change the protagonist already. If Tendou—or even Chen Xing—were the lead, this anime would be legendary instead of just... average.”

“Most Useless Protagonist in History: confirmed.”

While the audience ranted and raged in the comments, the screen shifted—showing Chen Kong slipping into a flashback sequence.

Unfortunately for him, unlike Tendou’s crowd-favorite, tear-jerking flashback from episode two, this one had the exact opposite effect.

Chen Kong’s “character development” montage consisted entirely of scenes where he got bullied around the training base.

And to make matters worse, his inner monologue revealed his true thoughts—how he wanted to give up the assessment altogether and run away.

Naturally, that was like dumping gasoline on a wildfire.

Everyone watching could practically feel their veins popping.

“Dude, your teammates are out there bleeding for you—and you’re thinking about running away?!”

“What kind of protagonist even are you?!”

But just as the viewers were about to turn their outrage into a wave of furious comments—

A familiar voice echoed inside Chen Kong’s mind.

“When you feel cornered, when there’s nowhere left to run… Ask yourself—why are you still alive now?”

That one line from Tendou.

The moment it played, the entire scene shifted gears.

Chen Kong’s trembling expression froze. His eyes flickered—then steadied.

The somber background music swelled, transforming into something bold and triumphant.

The audience’s fury began to fade, replaced by anticipation.

Because they could sense it—

This was it. The moment the useless protagonist was about to awaken.

On-screen, Chen Kong slowly raised his head, the weakness in his eyes replaced by quiet determination.

And just like that, the chat exploded again.

“No way… he’s actually doing it? The loser’s redemption arc??”

“Wait, that line—‘why are you still alive now’—wasn’t that Tendou’s quote?! Why does he always find a way to hijack everyone else’s development scenes?!”

“I’m telling you, Tendou has to be the writer’s favorite. There’s no way he isn’t!”

“Don’t tell me—!”

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